Process of making flour of maize.



, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARMIN EROSA AND ADBIANO EROSA, F MEBIDA, MEXICO.v

PROCESS OF MAKING FLOUR. OF MAIZE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARMIN EROSA and ADRIANO EROSA, citizens of theUnited Mexican States, residing at Merida, in theState of Yucatan,Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processesof Making Flour of Maize, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a process under which flour is produced fromfecula of maize, which has previously been subjected to the well knownpartial cooking with a solution of calcium'hydroxid which converts thecereal orgrains into the so-called nix tamal Nixtamal is anIndian termadopted in the Spanish language of most Latin American republics, andknown .by everybody in these countries as the maize grains,

whenthey have been cooked in a solution of calcium hydroxid raised to atemperature of some centigrades. N'Xtamal is mentioned inthe GranDz'cciontriro 'Olasz'co de la Lengua Espanold by Ramon JoaquinDominguez, 17th edition, in which on page 234 it reads: Nixtamal:-maizehalf boiled in water and a thin solution of lime, which is used formaking tortillas (pan cakes).

In carrying out the process the cereals are ground added with potablewater for facilitating the grinding, and the mass which is thus formedin the mill is then compressed making'flour of nixtamal, butnone of theproducts thereof have so far proved to unite the required conditions,both for not.

having the natural taste and flavor of'the maize-cake (tortilla), madeof fresh paste as itproceeds from the mill, as also, because the cakesmade of such flour have been simi lar in taste to nixta-mal againmoistened and subjected to new cooking, and the cakes made of such flourhave. lacked of the tend ency to duly inflate under the baking, "andSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1909. Serial No. 525.364.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

finally the greatest deficiency has been, that such flour could not beconserved without putretying in relatively short time.

Our process consists in exposing the cereals of maize to the act ofboiling. with calcium hydroxid or calcium hydrate at'the usual heat,which grade of temperature has been approved as adequate at about 60centigrades, thereafter thoroughly washing the grains, which are thustransformed into what is called nixtamal, then pouring these grainstogether with potable water in the proportion of 2 parts to 1 into acommon mill adapted for the purpose of grinding maize, so as to insure amore eflicient grinding on account of the plastic consistence, thereuponunder pressure forming the paste or mass into blocks forpreliminarydrying andavoiding themore advanced boiling of thematerial,which would otherwise result due to its containing liquid, whensubjected to a temperature of" 90-95 degrees centigrade. which weutilize for effecting the complete drying of the material.

The hull of the maize is loosened by the boiling and does not enter themill with the fecula.

As stated, after having expressed, the

liquid from the paste or'mass in its condition as it proceeds from themill, and ham mg been formed into blocks, these are inserted in aheating chamber or stove coir serving a. temperature of about 90-95degrees Centigrade. whereinthe drying process of the material iscompleted, and from which it comes out as a thoroughly dried substancein fragments, and now havingtlie quality desired, namely that ofconserving its taste and flavor for several months. After drying thematerial is finally passed througha mill that willdeliver'it either as afine orcoarser flour as desired.

As an example of carrying" out the partial cooking 43 kilos of maize ispartly cooked in a solution of'18 gallons ofwater with 600 grams of thehydrate.

It is impossible to give any exact proportion as it'depends upon thequality of the maize, whether. it be new or old grain and of course alsoupon the strength of the hydrate.

We claim:

1, The process of making flour" of maize,

degreescentigrade, removing the hull, then a grinding the feculawithpotable ,water, ex

press'ing the liquid of the paste, which re sults, and completing thedrying under the tem erature of about 90-95 degrees centigra e5 andagain grinding the mater al.

2. The process of makin 'flour of maize, -,o0ns1st1ng 1n partlallybolhng the maize 1n I ing the liquid by pressure from said paste,

and introducing said paste preliminarily dried into a heating chamber inwhichiis maintained a temperature of 90-95 degrees centigrade, andfinally grinding the com plete y dried product toa fiour.

In testimony whereof we have aifixedour signatures in presence of twowitnesses. ARMIN EROSA.

ADRIANO EROSA'. Witnesses:

PEDRO PENIOHE Lornz, Toimis, PENICHE LPEZ.

